Billiards are a family affair at Crazy 8′s

When a customer at Crazy 8’s asked me if I was any good at playing pool, I paused for a moment, perhaps a bit embarrassed to be surrounded by 30-plus tables professionally designed for a game I had no intention of playing.

I breathlessly admitted that I was awful. He laughed.

“That’s why we come here,” he said. “To get better. Like church.”

Open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday — and noon to 2 a.m. on Sunday — there’s plenty of time to practice. With a full bar and fried snacks to nibble on, you can make an evening of improving your game in the company of dedicated pool players.

You pay a cover to get in, so you can play as long as you like without having to pony up extra cash for each game. Sunday through Wednesday, the cover is $3 per person. Thursday through Saturday each person pays $5.

There are drink specials all day, every day. That means you can grab a domestic beer for $2, premium beers for $2.75, and well drinks for $2. At prices that low, you may want to make sure you’re grabbing a glass of water in between drinks, unless you’re a mythical creature whose game improves with your blood alcohol level.

Black walls, chrome accents, swirly red carpet and lighting over every pool table create the illusion that every game is played on a stage. There are walls of shelves and high-top tables to rest your drink. Bartenders are friendly and frequently roam to ensure your thirst is quenched.

If pool isn’t your game, you can play washers, darts or a boxing video game that will certainly impress a date with a show of brute strength. Or simply grab a tall table with a view of the games being played around you to get inspired to play yourself.

Customers are friendly but keep to themselves unless you happen to mill around the bar counter long enough. They won’t laugh at you if your pool game resembles an active attempt to not hit any balls, but they might not come over to offer any advice.

I recommend calling for directions as Google maps led me astray. If you aren’t from the area, it always helps to mention that fact to avoid getting instructions that presume a working knowledge of the surrounding businesses.

The inclusion of “family” in this pool hall’s title does not refer to the traditional family. From open to 8 p.m., the bar allows 18 to 21-year-olds inside, but after 8 p.m. only those of legal drinking age can gain entry.

It’s the prompt customer service, friendly regulars, drink specials, clean surfaces and a safe environment that qualify for the term “family,” and after one evening at Crazy 8’s I can say if I played pool, it’s a family to which I’d like to belong.